I Puritani at the Met.

I Puritani - Met Opera opening night Thurs 17^th April 2014

 

Elvira - Olga Peretyatko

Giorgio - Michele Pertusi

Arturo - Lawrence Brownlee

Riccardo - Maksim Aniskin

c. Michele Mariotti

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

I was blown away with this performance of one of my favourite operas, despite the replacement an indisposed Mariusz Kwiecien.  Rarely since Sutherland days have I heard such a splendid bel canto pastiche on stage.  The conducting of Michele Mariotti was learned and sympathetic with the incomparable Met orchestra and chorus.  Ms Peretyatko (Mrs Mariotti in real life) is a phenomenal talent in every respect while Larry Brownlee and Michele Pertusi are at the top of their fields. 

 

Mr Kwiecien was replaced by Maksim Aniskin who, while not up to the standard of his eminent colleagues, was no embarrassment either.  I had also heard the dress rehearsal in which it was announced that Mr Brownlee was ‘under the weather’, ‘marking’ some of his solo lines.  Mr Kwiecien normally sings supremely with his enormous, accurate and beautiful voice.  But nothing is easy in show biz! 

 

The 1976 production by Sandro Sequi uses a classical if somewhat faded series of settings with costumes of the era.  An indignant local reviewer wrote that the chorus members were “dressed more like American pilgrims … than a band of Parliamentary rebels in Devon” apparently forgetting that his country’s founders were in fact rebel puritans like those in the opera fighting the establishment. 

 

Some people just want to know about the high notes … and there were plenty.  For once there were E flats not only for soprano but also such heights from the tenor.  Mr Brownlee has a beautiful quality voice which is of sufficient size to be heard above chorus and orchestra in this enormous house.  He also interacts faithfully with his colleagues in the drama and is most dignified on stage.  He wisely omitted the falsetto high F immortalized by Luciano Pavarotti.  The replacement baritone hit an A flat at the end of “Suoni la tromba”, albeit a somewhat curtailed one.  For reasons unknown the conductor took the final duet section of this martial male twosome at double time, rather lowering this high point for me.  In other sections Mariotti allowed ample pauses and ralentandos for the singers, especially for his wife, just as Maestro Bonynge used to do for Joan Sutherland. 

 

“Ah te, o cara” was marvellous, followed by “Son vergine vezzosa” in Act 1.  The second act mad scene “Qui la voce sua soave... Vien, diletto, e in ciel la luna” was incomparable. 

 

Happily the joyous finale pyrotechnic “Ah! sento al mio bell'angelo” was included.  It was said that Richard Bonynge found this lost cabaletta which Callas never sang.  I recall also that it was the clip played by ABC radio when Sutherland’s death was announced in 2010.  It was for Joan Sutherland that this Met production was mounted 38 years ago – and it shows both its age and yet also its serviceability.  Another Bonynge ‘find’ was a tenor-soprano duet in Act 3 used in the Pavarotti / Sutherland recording but omitted in the present Met version.  While a marvellous piece of Belliniana it does not contribute to the drama and prolongs the ‘rescue’ part of the opera. 

 

Australian radio opera guru John Cargher used to say that this opera has three mad scenes - and it does.  Ms Peretyatko had a wonderful vocal formula for these scenes, each being close to the Sutherland versions vocally but with some original and tasteful inclusions in the coloratura.  Ms Peretyatko also had a lot more ways of going mad than just looking into space confused.  In one quiet section she giggled loudly while lying on her back. 

 

This was indeed a night of phenomenal singing … and as with all Met performances now, if you like Bellini and you want a treat, listeners can down-load it on Sirius I understand.  But maybe wait until the wonderful baritone Mr Kwiecien is singing again.  It is extraordinary to find three bel canto operas this season in a house which used to studiously avoid them.  

Stop-press: Florez replaced by Camarena in Cenerentola, opening on Monday 21 April.  A new star is born!  More later.

 

Written by Andrew Byrne ..

 

 

http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com.au/

 

http://andrewsopera.blogspot.com.au/

 

 

 

La Sonnambula at the Met (twice).

La Sonnambula - Bellini - Saturday 29^th March 2014 1pm matinée Met Opera

 

Amina - Diana Damrau

Elvino - Javier Camarena (Taylor Stayton last performance 1^st April no fooling!)

Lisa - Rachelle Durkin

Count - Michele Perusi

c. Marco Armiliato

 

 

This welcome Met reprise of the Bellini rarity after 5 years was well worth the effort … and with even better casting this time.  Happily it was not set in an idyllic Swiss village … at least not until the final minutes.  Two entire acts of a traditional ‘chocolate box’ production of this opera could risk descent into parody and farce, an unfortunate destination for such a masterpiece, always one of my favourite operas. 

 

A stroke of original brilliance put a ‘sitzprobe’ rehearsal directly onto the big stage, warts and all.  Producer/director Mary Zimmerman along with set designer Daniel Ostling keep our attention by providing a private window onto back-stage, always a source of interest and mystery to opera fans. 

 

For those familiar with the theatre this production is close to the reality of operatic preparation.  It includes civilian clothes, diva antics, chorus movements, stage manager’s demands, wig fittings, costumes, shoes, personality clashes, etc.  Even coffee breaks are included.  Zimmerman is hardly the first to place plays within plays, yet here it is even better as she has added the New York factor.  Like Christmas, Jewish themes (Noah!), horses, water or children-on-stage, the Big Apple can also be a winning formula for popular productions. 

 

This is one of the genre of ‘rescue’ operas, in this case the saving event is an entry in Webster’s Dictionary … look up ‘somnambulism’ if you dare - a great excuse for two-timing exposed.  Or burglary for that matter. 

 

This opera starts with an off stage chorus while the characters one by one gradually populate the vacant hall … janitor, cleaners, stage manager, clip-board in hand, etc, etc.  Like Nozze measuring tape and chalk are used in the opening, if for different reasons.  Running late, the diva appears all clamour and glamour, cell phone in hand, only half concentrated on the job at hand.  Diana Damrau is one of the great singing actors of our time and this new role fits like a glove.  Humour, pathos, coloratura, beauty and even some calisthenics at the end (she did cartwheels on stage!).  Twice we heard her sing in the auditorium in front of the stage. 

 

For the Act I sleepwalking scene Ms Damrau entered by way of the main stalls aisle, walking in a morphistic state suitably spot-lit and into the hotel room of the embarrassed Count.  The second somnambulism commenced with a comatose Ms Damrau lurching along a narrow ledge in a snow storm outside the rehearsal room windows, presumably high above a New York street.  Not good for those with a fear of heights. 

 

Having been physically rescued by Lisa the final tour-de-force, ‘Ah non credea mirati’ and its recitative were sung on a stage extension like a wide ‘diving board’ extending well over the orchestra.  The acoustics are noticeably different when the singer is in the Met auditorium itself.  Having an opera singer only two metres away as I did briefly in Act one is a serious auditory jolt! 

 

The joyous finale ‘Ah non giunge’ was staggering, both vocally from Ms Damrau as well as from the chorus, dancers (now in Swiss costume) and clever staging.  Our soprano did two full acrobatic cartwheels during the short choral section before her final note - and then another in the curtain calls on the very last night. 

 

The tenor was the wild-card surprise of the evening for me.  Javier Camarena is the most beautiful voiced tenor I have heard since Luciano left us.  He has a fine tremolo with a smooth vocal line up and down the stave.  And his diminuendos were phenomenal too.  Every risk Mr Camarena took came off brilliantly, elegantly and tastefully.  His voice is quite unlike like Mr Florez but clearly just as capable (and I am a Florez fan). 

 

I was so impressed with this tenor that I attended the final performance with great expectations … only to find that the season cover, Mr Taylor Stayton was taking the role as is the creditable practice at the Met.  Taller and perhaps more physically suited with this cast, American tenor Taylor Stayton, displayed a fine and supple voice for this difficult tessitura.  He commenced with a few slight ‘bleats’ but any imperfections resolved and he received an enormous ovation.  However odious be Marlowe’s comparisons, my money is on Mexican Mr Camarena who will be hard to beat in this sort of repertoire.  He is rumoured to be replacing Mr Florez at the opening of Cenerentola in two weeks time.  We shall see. 

 

Michele Pertusi sang ‘Vi raviso’ ravishingly as he also played the over-sexed old man in the most gentlemanly manner possible. 

 

Australian Rachelle Durkin played an excellent Lisa, jealous, bitter, conniving and finally getting her comeuppance.  Her steely voice, earnest stage presence and Bellini’s brilliant score distinguish her from the soprano of the title.  Some of her rivalry stage actions were hilarious.  Other supporting roles were all very well acquitted including Amina’s ubiquitous mother played by Elizabeth Bishop; Alessio, Lisa’s constant admirer, Jordan Bisch and the Notary played by Cantor Bernard Fitch, now a veteran of over 20 years at the Met. 

 

Marco Armiliato conducted the magnificent Met orchestra with confident style and tempi reminiscent of Richard Bonynge in his two classic recordings of this opera. 

 

A pleasure and a privilege to be in New York for such a marvellous treat (more travel notes below). 

 

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..

 

http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com/

 

http://andrewsopera.blogspot.com/2010/08/somnambulism-down-ages.html London expert Dr Colin Brewer’s take on somnambulism in history.

 

Madama Butterfly from a pontoon on Sydney Harbour in autumn.

Opera in the open air.  Madama Butterfly at Mrs Macquaries Chair. Friday 21st March (equinox). "Handa Opera"

 

Cio-cio-san - Hiromi Omura

Suzuki - Anna Yun

Pinkerton - Georgy Vasiliev

Sharpless - Michael Honeyman

Goro - Graeme Macfarlane

Bonze - Gennadi Dubinsky

c. B. Castles-Onion

d. Alex Olle (La Fura dels Baus)

Sets Alfons Flores

Costumes Lluc Castells

 

For the third year in a row the opera company has pulled off a seemingly impossible coup by holding back the weather (at least for opening night) and presenting a classy performance of a classic opera to a large and appreciative audience under the stars and in full view of Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. 

 

Personally I have problems with using public gardens and foreshores for such elitist events (A reserve tickets were $300 each).  I also have problems with hearing trained opera singers using microphones in such open-air shows.  But like other things in life I have suppressed these guilty and critical feelings and got with the swing.  In case of rain I am lucky enough to live within walking distance.  And I sat in seats which cost about $100 and extremely good value. 

 

Like Carmen and La Traviata before it, I enjoyed almost every aspect of the night, notably the opera itself.  The singing was superb and production creditable and clever.  Again, aspects grated on me - like Astroturf which I have always disliked … choosing singers based on their racial originals also goes against the grain (a list of actors had mostly Asian names while the sopranos playing Cio-cio-san were Japanese and Korean).  Notwithstanding this, the vocals were of a very high standard from all main and subsidiary characters. I always wait for the two tenor high points, Dovunque al mondo and Addio, fiorito asil and was not disappointed.  The soprano did everything except the optional D flat finishing her first act entrance. 

 

The production takes place on an enormous hillock of fake lawn surmounted by a palisade of fake bamboo.  Behind this an enormous fake full moon bobbed up and down hooked from a real but temporary crane gantry.  There was some beauty to it all and behind the thatch of bamboo Sydney’s skyline was the final back-drop cyclorama.  The orchestra was housed beneath the hillock, unseen until the curtain calls. 

 

Instead of a house, the opening characters are examining the unfolded scale plans of a proposed house.  This made the end of act one difficult as the matrimonial couple walk off into the blissful yonder, and a bedroom which is under construction or worse, not yet built at all.  But rather than saving on costs, act two takes place in a wholly new set with both a demountable Japanese house plus an elevated outhouse.  The purpose of the latter was not clear to this ignorant audience member, but there were goings on apace.  If a servant quarters it would vie for the world’s best placed servant quarters! 

 

There was a large blow-up sphere mid-harbour to the north which glowed at varying intensities.  It looked rather odd, remaining as it did on the horizon and one might assume it represented a setting sun.  Other special effects included a 30 second burst of wedding fireworks from half a dozen smaller unseen pontoons out in Farm Cove, the bay between us and the Opera House.

 

The bonze arrived by motor launch while most other stage entrances and exits were by common Sydney livery taxis which drove up on the path in front - naf in my book and about as Japanese as the pizza served in the dining venues.   The blanket advertising implied that saki and sushi would be staples but I could not find them. 

 

An extraordinary event not to be missed if you are into that sort of thing - and you have the spare cash to spend on it.  But opera it ain't. 

 

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..

 

Our butterfly collection (off topic but fun): http://schraderbutterflies.blogspot.com/

 

 

Eugene Onegin at the Sydney Opera House

Wednesday 20^th March 2014 Sydney Opera House.

Eugene Onegin - [Yevegeny Onyegin] - Tchaikovsky

 

Tatyana - Nicole Car

Onegin - Dalibor Jenis

Olga - Sian Pendry

Madame Larina - Domenica Matthews

Lensky - James Egglestone

M. Triquet - Sam Roberts-Smith

Prince Gremin - Konstantin Gorny

c. Guillaume Tourniaire,

 

This opera is a must-see … yet I attended one of the last performances.  A tasteful, clever production is peopled by serious singers in a gutsy and profound opera with a maudlin start, partying middle and an ending which is unhappy for three of its main players.  And this is what opera is made of … or it should be. 

 

It was not initially clear who the real ‘star’ was, so balanced were the singers.  However, on reading Mr Jenis’s biography it is likely that he was the one raising the standard … he is slated for Nabucco in Berlin, Figaro in Paris, Escamillo and Renato in Verona, Yeletsky in Bratislava (his home town), Don Giovanni, Roderigo, Macbeth, Di Luna and more besides in just one year.  Such a ‘star’ in the title role brings out the best in everyone else and should sell seats (and subscriptions for next year).  The voices were large, accurate and exciting with the exception of Monsieur Triquet (who is meant to be delicate and effete). 

 

In the title role Slovakian baritone Mr Jenis sings solidly and his acting is credible, made all the more challenging with a ‘double’ shadowing much of his stage action.  His party trick is the sustained high note which he uses with great aplomb, but not to excess.  If you have got it, why not flaunt it?  Goose bumps all round, yet the audience gave no rapturous ovations during the performance, saving appreciation to the end.  

 

As Lensky Mr Egglestone coloured his long and difficult aria elegantly, starting out almost inaudibly piano (‘Kuda … kuda’) yet rising to a major fortissimo, knowing his risk of being dead in minutes in the duel.  And we saw his body on stage for the remainder of the opera, one rather odd aspect of an otherwise sympathetic and tasteful staging.  At least it avoided the indignity of dragging a corpse off stage. 

 

Ms Car sang superbly, possessed of a large and pleasing voice.  Tatyana’s long letter scene (Onegin also has a ‘letter scene’ at the end of the opera) kept the tension between her modesty and impetuousness.  Simultaneously the written word was cleverly projected onto billowing curtains while Tatyana and her ‘double’ vied for the pen and paper (one might quibble at the quill and absent ink well - maybe it was a pencil). 

 

Russian bass Konstantin Gorny sang Gremin’s haunting aria with dignity and seismic style.  It is rare to hear a true bass and it is always a pleasure when it is as schooled as this.  That he is young and handsome is no odder than mature sopranos playing youthful roles.  

 

The action unfolded within three large openings in a panelled palace interior.  Large bi-fold doors or curtains at times revealed autumn woods, garden scene, dancing or a snow storm. 

 

Apart from myself, I noted at least two other gents in the audience wearing a strawberry shirt and light blue jacket.  Perhaps the gents’ style centre of Sydney has returned to Bennelong Point! 

 

A nice touch, after mention of Samuel Richardson novels by the sisters, was an ever-present pile of books on stage.  A screwed up letter was also left on stage for several scenes, finally accompanied by its reply, much too delayed to be meaningful. 

 

The production’s unique moment for me was in the duel when Onegin’s ‘double’ ran to try to stop the bullets which nevertheless hit their mark as Lensky dropped to the ground. 

 

The chorus was first class, only one member remaining from the old days, Dr Robert Mitchell, whose ‘corporate memory’ must be invaluable to this company.  Supporting cast members were all also excellent. 

 

The Sydney Onegin was a co-production with London and Turin directed by Kasper Holten with sets by Mia Stensgaard with costumes by Katrina Lindsay.
There is the well know magnificent waltz for the ball scene … and the piece for Gremin’s reception performed presto with clarity and equipoise … from a consummate orchestra with competent maestro at the helm. 

 

In my side circle seat I was part of a near capacity house.  Yet as usual there were about 50 restricted view seats unoccupied.  These should have been given to music students, each of whom would have had a unique experience in the theatre to savour for the rest of their lives.  ‘Empty seats are a curse on the management of a theatrical company’ (W. Shakespeare, Globe Theatre board minutes, London, 1596 TIC). 

 

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..

 

Opera blog: http://andrewsopera.blogspot.com/

 

'Turco in Italia' at the Sydney Opera House.

The Turk in Italy - Rossini - Sydney Opera House.  Wed 22^nd January 2014

Sydney opera fans should not miss this rare outing of a minor Rossini gem.  Il Turco in Italia was mounted for Callas, Sills, Caballe and Bartoli but has never entered the general repertoire.  This ‘Turco’ is a fun romp for audience and artists alike … however putting opera singers into swimsuits can have its down-side too (see below). 

Turco is probably avoided by opera companies because of serious competition, especially Rossini’s own manifold works. Turco is thirteenth of his forty operas and came on the heels of the very successful L’Italiana in Algeria. Yet despite much early acclaim for these works, only Barber of Seville remained in the repertory until the 1950s. 

It is said that Rossini was sitting up in his bed composing and a page of his music dropped to the floor.  Rather than going to the trouble of retrieving it, the story goes that he stayed in his bed and just wrote another page of new music to replace it.  And so flowed the melodies in Il Turco in Italia … the listener will have to decide how these tunes compare with La Cenerentola, Semiramide or Il Barbiere di Siviglia.  There is a charming sextet to end the first act.  One of the male arias seems to have been borrowed from the Barber of Seville … or maybe it was the other way around. 

The overture is a glorious and memorable piece of novel orchestration, full of melodic invention, rhythm and style.  Yet the production took attention away from this concert masterpiece by presenting a plethora of beach-bum fuss on stage, a comedy routine which led to applause and laughter interrupting the music.  This magnificent sinfonia should have been showcased … maybe even played again (‘Sam’) for the second act!  The work is long, however, and if Die Zauberflaute warranted editing so too might Turco. 

The translation was very loose, often slap-stick and frankly crude at times.  The laughs sometimes came before the actual gags due to the titles being visible … but this comes with the territory and nobody would want to return to the pre-titles days. 

In his operas Rossini uses various ‘tricks’ such as a tapping baton, rolling ‘R’ concerted ending and in this opera we have a narrator, Prosdocimo, who is writing a play and using the opera’s events as inspiration (or plagiarism).  And the playwright here is Samuel Dundas, using great flair and energy.  And he doubles as barman, sommelier and waiter. 

Emma Matthews was the star and one can see why other divas have moved to bring this work out of its long obscurity.  Ms Matthews does the coquettish thing as Fiorilla and flies into the coloratura stratosphere regularly both on her own and in concert. 

Contrary to Turkish mores this production takes place at Geronio’s cocktail bar on a southern Italian beach resort.  Just about everything that could happen at such a bar does happen.  Wooing and surrender, jealous fights, undressing, mistaken identities, etc.  There is even a kitchen blender, perhaps for Halal fruit cocktails - as well as to shred banknotes offered by the Turk to Geronio to purchase his young wife.  The Geronio couple live upstairs, glamorous Fiorilla (Emma Matthews) with her older portly husband, ably played by Conal Coad.  The latter is a fine singer but is perhaps over-exposed in Sydney of late.  Lover-boy Turk Selim Pasha is played by Italian Paolo Bordogna who is yet another bass-baritone who is more baritone than bass - but more than adequate for the part.  His devilish sexy persona would be at home on Broadway as it is in the opera theatre. 

As the paramour muse Narciso we heard Brasilian tenor Luciano Botelho.  He sang with accuracy and poise, having a natural ‘dry’ tenor voice, hitting some risky high notes, most of which paid off.  The opera had a great deal of dressing and undressing on stage, including a hilarious aria by Narciso sung in a beach changing box as he morphed into a Memphis man (see below). 

Zaida is played by Anna Dowsley, a capable young Australia mezzo-soprano.  She is not (?yet) ideal for the role which needs a more mature mezzo voice to contrast with Emma Matthews as well as to be a believable partner to a Pasha. 

Breaking with operatic tradition, most of the cast was chosen for appearances first and voice second.  There were only two singers of a certain imposing stature in this show, one a male principal singer, the other a Rubenesque chorus member (at the bar and not in swimming costume).  Experience tells us that larger singers often have the better voices, so where does that leave the listener?  Frustratingly we may have been deprived of what the opera audience craves most: big beautiful vocalism, for the sake of a director‘s peccadillo.  One of the best singers of our day, Stephanie Blythe, would have been eliminated on this basis.  Yet wherever she sings the house is usually sold out as she delights audiences at the Met and elsewhere. 

The Turco denouement has the characters dressing up for a masked ball in which the lovers are meant to catch each other out.  Starting with Narciso in the bathing shed, all the men dress as Elvis Presley while the ladies wear Marilyn Monroe get-ups to the enormous mirth of the audience.  Conal Coad posed as Selim Pasha despite being double the girth of his Eastern rival!  But this IS opera, after all!  Crazy stories, fat ladies singing into the night, etcetera. 

This brought us to the vocal high point of the evening, a magnificent performance by Ms Matthews who reads a divorce letter from Geronio and then laments her ostracism (premature as it happens) from the society of her husband and the world she is used to … while the other lovers reunited, prepare to sail back to Turkey.  In her five-minute solo, Ms Matthews’ accuracy and control were sublime, and at the excited response from the audience well justified.  The fact that she sang this only two nights before (Wednesday then Friday) makes the feat all the more impressive.  However, it does not do the management much credit, since the vocal cords of a singer are like the feet of a marathon runner and they need more than one day to recover after use.  And it is upon those cords that the opera company and this opera’s success or otherwise depends. 

While I am pleased to have seen it, Turco pales next to William Tell or Semiramide.  Nevertheless, the Sydney audience gave an enormous ovation to the well rehearsed curtain call à la Broadway.  The company might have done a greater opera with a similar cast, yet I confess such comparisons are risky.  Let the reader judge, hopefully after hearing the whole opera, whether it was worth the effort. 

The evening had not one but two patrons being our state AND federal vice regal representatives, plus an extraordinary array of VIPs, lawyers, medical people, business folk, etc.  I spoke so some subscribers who were surprised to learn that their tickets were for opening night.  Such seats used to be unobtainable without a long wait and/or a large donation to the company.  But the company’s subscriptions have dwindled from about fifteen operas to less than ten … and lots of performances of musical comedies … which are now the company’s stock in trade rather than grand opera.  But I go on.  At least we still HAVE an opera company, even if much of what it does is ABC (Aida, Boheme and Carmen). 

Comments by Andrew Byrne

Andrew's blog http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com/